Water-tight fixture for electric lights.



N0. 699,8l7. Patented May l3, l902.

F. J. RUSSELL. WATER TIGHT FIXTURE FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS. (Applicationfiled Feb 10, 1902.) (No Model.)

ITED STATES ATE Gr mes.

FRANK J. RUSSELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WATER-TIGHT FIXTURE FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 699,817, dated May 13,1902.

Application filed February 10 1902. Serial No. 93,364. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LFRANK J.RUssELL,a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings,and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Water-Tight Fixtures for Electric Lights, of which the following is aspecification sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to whichthe invention appertains to make and use the same.

My improvements relate to means for protecting electric-light lamps andtheir terminal connections and while applicable generally to fixturesoccupying exposed positions are designed more particularly for use inmarine vessels and like situations where it is desirable to excludemoisture, prevent corrosion, short-circuiting, 8:0.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed specifically.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of my improveddevice; Fig. 2, a similar view with the cover removed; Fig. 3, asectional elevation upon plane of line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a transversesection upon plane of line 4 4, Fig. 1, showing the cover thrown open;Fig. 5, a sectional elevation showing a modification of the end disk.

I prefer to make my casing C with a body a, which is substantiallysemicylindrical internally, terminating at one end in a disk 0, and atthe other in an arch 0 The bottom or rear side of the casing O, isformed With bolt or' screw holes 5 b or other mechanical expedicntswhich will admit of its being secured to a suitable support.

Attached to the inner side of the disk 0 is the terminal-holder ofinsulating material, I, with the terminals of which electricalconnection is made through the opening 0 the holder I having thereceptacle Z mounted upon it in the usual way for the reception of thelamp L.

The opening 0 leads into a fuse-box 0 secured to or forming a part ofthe disk 0', or through a threaded union-nipple n, as in Fig. 5, into asuitable conduit N. Where the fusebox 0 is combined with the disk 0',the unionnipple n is formed on the fuse-box. In either case theunion-nipple it affords a means of coupling to the conductor-conduit N.

The inner side of the disk 0 is provided with a gasket or annularpacking p, preferably though not necessarily extending under theterminal-holder I, its main function being to efiect a water-tight jointwith the edge e of the transparent shield F.

The body of the transparent shield F is preferably cylindrical, theclosed end being hemispherical or otherwise formed to receive a stirrupS, by which the shield may be positively and forcibly'held with its edgee against the gasket or packing p by means of a clamp D, consisting of ascrew or other mechanical expedient mounted on the arch c The stirrup Sis pivotally connected to the casing 0, preferably below the closed endof the transparent shield, especially when said closed end ishemispherical in form, as shown in the drawings, so that the stirrup maybe swung back to afford ample space for the insertion or withdrawal ofthe transparent shield into or from the casing and also to allow thestirrup to properly clear the hemispherical end of the shield when thestirrup is swung into or out of engagement with the transparent shield.

By making the stirrup of elastic metal it may be readily sprung into orout of position over the hemispherical end of the transparent shieldeven when the fit is close; but in order to facilitate still further theapplication or removal of the stirrup when the latter is to extend overbeyond the center of the transparent shield, I make the inner or freeend of the bearing-arm s with an articulated section 3, whichconstitutes the bearing-block for engagement with the clamping device D.As illustrated in the drawings, the articulated section or bearing-block8 consists of a slotted piece held loosely by a loop s formed in the endof the arm 8, although this construction tially semicylindrical Hingedor linked to one side of the casing is a cover H, approximately orsubstantially semicylindrical in shape and adapted to fit over the frontof the casing and inclose and protect the parts therein against contactwith extraneous objects. This cover H is preferably though notnecessarily made in the form of a grating consisting of longitudinalbars h and transverse rails h or any other form of open-work, or, ifdesired, it may be made in one continuous piece where the lamp is to beused only temporarily and is subjected to exceptional danger fromcontact with external objects when not in use. In either case a suitablefastening device is provided by means of which the cover H may besecured in position over the casing, as a couplingpin 72. passingthrough a hole 72 in the end of the center rail and throughcorresponding holes 0 formed in the lugs 0 c on the casing 0.

Where the fuse box or chamber 0 is interposed between the disk 0 and theunion-nipple n, as shown in the drawings, it is provided with a cover f,packingf, and clamping devices f f for the purpose of forming awater-tight joint for the protection of the interior of the fuse-box andthe interior of the transparent shield F, with which the fusechambercommunicates through passages in the terminal-holder I.

By my construction and arrangement ofparts I attain water-tightprotection for the electric-light fittings and connections, as well asprotection against mechanical contact with external objects. At the sametime I support my transparent shield at both ends, and thereby lessenthe chances of breaking from shock or jar as compared with devicesheretofore in use in whichthe shield is supported only at one end. Itwill be seen that this feature of retaining and supportingthetransenables me to obtain a positive seal or water tight joint, sinceany required degree of power may be applied evenly and axially to forcethe transparent shield against its seat.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a casing, of substanshape internally, formed withan end disk. to which is secured an electric terminal-block andlamp-receptacle, an annular gasket on the inner side of said end disk,a'substantially cylindrical transparent shield closed at one end, the

*as set forth.

2. The combination of a casing, of substan tially semicylindrical shapeinternally, formed with an end disk to which is secured the electricterminal-block and lam p-receptacle, an annular gasket on the inner sideof said end disk, a substantially cylindrical transparent shield closedat one end, the edges of the other end resting against said annulargasket, a stirrup for straddling the closed end of said transparentshield, said stirrup being pivotally connected to the easing, and meansfor pressing and holding the said stirrup against the said transparentshield for the purpose of effecting a watertight joint between theshield and the casing, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a casin g, of substantially semicylindrical shapeinternally, formed with an end disk to which is secured an electricterminal-block and lamp-receptacle, an annular gasket on the inner sideof said end disk, a substantially cylindrical transparent shield closedat one end, the edges of the other end resting against said annulargasket, a stirrup for straddling the closed end of said transparentshield, said stirrup being pivotally connected to the easing, and ascrew passing through said casing and bearing against said stirrup andholding said transparent shield against the said gasket to form awater-tight joint, substantially as set forth. g

4. The combination of a casing,-of substantially semicylindrical shapeinternally, formed with an end disk to which is secured an electricblock and lamp-receptacle, an an= nular gasket on the inner side of thesaid end disk, a substantially cylindrical transparent shield, formedwith a closed hemispherical end and having the edges of the other endresting against said annular gasket, a stirrup for straddling the closedhemispherical end of the transparent shield, said stirrup pivotallyconnected to the casing below the position of the hemispherical end ofthe transparent shield for the purpose set forth, and means for pressingthe stirrup against the closed end of the transparent shield to effect awatertight joint between the latter and the casing, substantially asdescribed;

5. The combination of a casing, of substantially semicylindrical shapeinternally, formed with an end disk to which is secured an electricterminal-block and lamp-receptacle, said end disk being formed with anexternal fuse-chamber, an annular gasket on the inner side of said enddisk, a substantially cylindrical transparent shield, closed at one end,the edges of the other end resting against said annular gasket, astirrup for straddling the closed end of said transparent shield, andmeans for pressing and holding the said stirrup against the transparentshield for the purpose of effecting a water-tight joint between theshield and the casing, as set forth.

6. The combination of a casin g of substantially semicylindrical shapeinternally,

formed with an end disk to which is secured an electric terminal-blockand lamp-receptacle, said end disk being formed with an ex ternalfuse-chamber, provided with a removable water-tight cover, an annulargasket on the inner side of said end disk, asubstantially cylindricaltransparentshield formed with one open end and one closed end, the edgesof the open end resting against said annular gasket, a stirrup forstraddling the closed end of said transparent shield,and means forpressing and holding the said stirrup against the transparent shield,for the purpose of effecting a water-tight joint between the shield andthe casing substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of acasing, of substantially semicylindrical shapeinternally, formed with an end disk to which is secured an electricterminal-block and lamp-receptaole, an annular gasket on the inner sideof said end disk, a substantially cylindrical transparent shield closedat one end,the' edges of the other end resting against said annulargasket, a stirrup for straddling the closed end of the transparentshield, means for pressing and holding the said stirrup against the saidtransparent shield, and a cover connected with the casing and adapted toinclose and protect the parts within the casing, together with means forsecuring the said cover in position substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a casing of substantially semicylindrical shapeinternally, formed with an end disk to which is secured an electricterminal block and lamp-recepta-' ole,'an annular gasket on the innerside of said end disk, a substantially cylindrical transparent shieldclosed at one end, the edges of the other end resting against saidannular gasket, a stirrup for straddling the closed end of thetransparent shield, means for pressing and holding the said stirrupagainst the said transparent shield, and a cover formed of an opengrating connected with the casing and adapted to inclose and protect theparts within; together with means for securing the said cover inposition, substantially as set forth;

9. The combination of a casing, of substantially semicylindrical shapeinternally, formed with an end disk to which is secured an electricterminal-block and lamp-receptacle, an annular gasket on the inner sideof said end disk, a substantially cylindrical transparent shield formedwith a closed hemispherical end, the edges of the other open end restingagainst said annular gasket, a stirrup for straddling the closedhemispherical end of the transparent shield, said stirrup being made intwo sections loosely connected together, one section of which ispivotally connected to the casing below'the position of thehemispherical end of the transparent shield for the purpose set forth,and means for pressing the stirrup against the closed end of thetransparent shield to effect a watertight jointbetween the latter andthe casing substantially as set forth.

FRANK J. RUSSELL.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. WM.MIATT, D. W. GARDNER.

